Carol Marine's Advanced Workshop

I returned 2 weeks ago from Santa Fe where I took Carol Marine's advanced workshop with thirteen other lucky women. Part of the magic was watching Carol's demos. Most days she would set up a still life before class (there was a race to get there early so we could watch her set it up) and then paint it magically before our eyes. Above she is showing us how to paint glass. Below is a short sequence of her painting a couple of mugs with grapes on a reflective surface.

First she gets her drawing correctly proportioned and positioned on her 6x6 panel.

She rubs off her initial marks and starts to paint the juicy colors first.

Here she puts in notes of the background and begins the reflections.

Drum roll.....Magic. These were just taken with my iphone. Yet you still can see how fabulous this painting is, complete with her signature fork. She gave us the opportunity to purchase these paintings and they all sold quickly. :-)  Thank you Carol for letting me post this sequence!!!! You are so gracious with your knowledge and inspiration. Now...HERE IS MY REFLECTION PAINTING (below) that I did in Carol's workshop. Yes, a red pair, two red grapes and a lemon.

 ©2013 Debbi Smith Rourke

Fruit Plate 6"x8" 

Oil on archival panel / framed in gold and black float frame
$250 + $25 sh/h in Contiguous US

 

 ©2013 Debbi Smith Rourke

Fruit Plate 6"x8" 

Oil on archival panel - FRAMED in gold and black illusion frame.

$130 + $18 sh/h.

This framed painting is sitting on a taupe, textured place mat. The frame has no checkerboard texture. :-) Note to self, "Don't photograph gold framed on textured cloth the same color."

Lilies 30x24"

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Lilies 30x24" 

Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas 

SOLD

Our 2012 Side by Side show is up!! New works! Photographer Bill Oakey and I are continuing our series - his favorite photographs and my interpretations of them in oil or pastel. "Lilies" is my favorite of my new entries. We are exhibiting, along with Kay Hughes and her encaustic works, at the Old Bakery and Emporium Gallery through August 30th. Reception is Thursday night, August, 9th from 6 - 9 pm. Hope you will join us! 

Here is Bill's inspiring photograph he took in a Las Vegas hotel. I added more contrast and pumped up the color, something I love to do.

© Bill Oakey

Morning Light 24x30"

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Morning Light 24x30"

Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas

ORIGINAL SOLD
Canvas prints available from 8x10" to 24x30"
Contact me for prices based on preferred size.

I delivered this painting last weekend to my friend Julie Pastor. She is on the committee for Kealing Middle's Schools fundraiser: Kealing Center Stage. They will be raising money tonight to help save vital programs, including art programs, threatened by budget cuts.

This is the second painting I have created from one of my favorite moody photographs taken of Lake Austin near the Pennybacker (360) bridge. The morning sunlight makes the lake and the land across the lake glisten while the foreground has yet to be graced by the day's direct light. I love watching the colors change throughout the day and the seasons along Lake Austin.

Rolling Hills 10x8"

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Rolling Hills 10x8"

Oil on canvas board / unframed

 $250 + $25 sh/h in Contiguous US

This work is an abstracted landscape I created from a photo taken near Fredericksburg. I removed any trees and just looked at the layers of ground, hills and sky. Still playing around with where I want to land between representational and abstract. Pretty fun!

Lake Austin Bend 24x30"

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Lake Austin Bend  24" x 30" 

Oil on canvas / framed in 3 inch-wide gold
$1,500 + $100 sh/h in Contiguous US

This is my most popular painting in my flickr gallery!!!  Yea. So thought I'd repost with a buy now button :-). Enjoy!

Wildflower Field Study

©Debbi Smith Rourke

Wildflower Field Study  8x10"

Pastel on paper
NFS

This is a small pastel study I did in preparation for a full size 24x36" pastel I am working on as a commission for a dear friend. The Wallace sand paper that is the base of the actual commission piece is now being permanently dry mounted to the foam core, so I will be able to start the final work in a few days! Yea! 

Mt. Bonnell - Canvas Print

©Debbi Smith Rourke

Mt. Bonnell
Original SOLD

24x24x.75" gallery-wrapped canvas prints available

$325 + $25 sh/h in Contiguous US

Recently, this painting I sold to some dear friends (who live half the year in Austin and half the year in Indiana) has gained additional interest. So I am offering it as a 24 x 24 x .75" gallery-wrapped canvas print. It's one of my favorite spots in Austin and I painted it on a lovely day with several fellow plein air painters. All good things!!!!

HeartGift Austin Auction / Fruit Basket

©Debbi Smith Rourke

Fruit Basket  16x16"

Oil on gallery wrapped canvas

NFS - Donated to HeartGift Austin

I am pleased to donate this painting to HeartGift Austin and their Fine Wine and Luxe Living Auction to be held this Sunday, Nov. 13th at the Driskill Hotel in DT Austin. This is an amazing charity that saves the lives of young children around the world who have life-threatening heart defects and no hope for care in their native countries. One of the cardiac surgeons who co-founded the organization here in Austin is the same surgeon who performed the quadruple by-pass on my dad in 1988. So grateful to Dr. Oswalt!! My dad is doing well today. 

Hoping my food themed painting ties in well with the Fine Wine theme of the event. Hope it brings them lots of $. What a great organization. Love these synergies in life!!

Fall Countryside 20x20"

©Debbi Smith Rourke

Fall Countryside 

Oil on gallery wrapped canvas 20x20x1.5"

$850 + $60 sh/h in Contiguous US

Original Oct 2011 post:
I am pleased to be part of the AVAA Fall Show @ Austin Art Space, 7739 Northcross Drive. My painting "Fall Countryside" is being exhibited. Show begins this Thursday, Oct. 27 and extends through Nov. 26th. Pleased my painting is part of the invite (next to last image on the right). :-)

Inspired Dream

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Inspired Dream  30" x 24" 

Oil on gallery-wrapped canvas 
SOLD

Canvas prints are available in a variety of sizes.

Contact me if interested in prints.

I envisioned these colors in an abstract form a couple of years ago when I wasn't even painting abstract images yet. So instead, back then, I painted a still life of lime green grapes on white dishes with a teal background. Nice painting that sits in my bar. So thrilled to finally be painting abstracts and executing my night time inspirations. It truly was an inspired dream! Think I'll keep doing these abstracts. They are quite fun and bring out my free spirit.  :)

Forces of Nature

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Forces of Nature  36x36"

Oil on gallery wrapped canvas 

NFS 

I haven't posted since May, but that doesn't mean I haven't been exploring new artistic ventures. Over the last year and half, my landscapes have become more and more abstracted. I was a bit apprehensive about just going ahead and doing a large abstract though felt inside that was where I was headed. Then my dear sweet Lexi (shared adult son Jimmy's other half) asked me to paint an abstract painting as a focal point for the living room of their home. Thank you!

So she brought me the large canvas and I painted it for her birthday. I just painted the edges of the gallery wrapped canvas the other night. It's just about dry and I will put the wire and hooks on the back today so they will be picking it up very soon. Can't wait to see it in their home. Guess what - not easy to get a good photo of a large 36x36" painting. But I love this direction and size. So I plan to do more. What do you think?? 

Pool Time

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Pool Time  7x5"

Oil on canvas board

Donated to the Arthouse at Jones Center

This is the third in my series of 5x7" beach paintings from my time at South Padre last summer. This is actually a scene from the hot tub area next to the pool at the condo we've been going to for decades - but you get the idea. You can catch these paintings at Arthouse at the Jones Center at 7th and Congress, and soon they will travel to Dallas and Houston this summer if not sold here. So happy to be a part of this great event!! The exhibit is up in Austin through June 12. Highly recommend it.

Beach Bag

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Beach Bag  7x5" 

Oil on canvas board

Donated to Arthouse 5x7 Invitational 

Here's another painting from my week at South Padre last June. This was also donated to the Arthouse at the Jones Center for their annual 5x7" Art Splurge and Art Social events held last Thursday and Friday nights. The Austin exhibit extends thru June 12 and then the work travels this summer to Dallas and Houston. All paintings are $150, or $100 for members.

Beach Day

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Beach Day  7x5" 

Oil on canvas board

Donated to Arthouse 5x7 Invitational / SOLD
Gallery-wrapped canvas prints available. Contact me for prices.

Last June I spent a week at South Padre (with my hubby, parents and brother) for my birthday. Was a wonderful time and I took a ton of pics. Just now getting around to painting some images. This one was donated to the Arthouse at the Jones Center for their annual 5x7" Art Splurge and Art Social events held last Thursday and Friday nights. The Austin exhibit extends thru June 12 and then the work travels this summer to Dallas and Houston. If you really want it, all 5x7's for this show are $150, so you might just swing by the gallery or email the gallery and see if they will sell it outside the exhibit space. They did receive 1600 submissions. The parties were a blast as always!! :)

Zilker Garden Gazebo

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Zilker Garden Gazebo 

24x18 - Original sold.

 Giclee print of pastel: $275 unframed + $15 sh/h

Framed giclee print with mat and glass 34x28: $425 + sh/h.

For local pick-up of this framed print, contact me.

This is an image of a pastel I painted in 2007 that is part of my Side by Side series with Bill Oakey. The original sold to some dear friends with a special connection to this gazebo. However, I am pleased to have a giclee print (on thick archival paper) that looks amazingly like an original, framed, on exhibit and available at the Authenticity Gallery at 910 Congress Avenue here in Austin. My 6 Side by Side works and 6 food paintings there are up through this Friday. We take the well received exhibit down Saturday May 7. Hope you get a change to see it!!! Authenticity is a lovely space and I'm so thrilled to be there! 

Thistles 20x20"

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Thistles

20 x 20 Oil on canvas
SOLD

Our Side by Side exhibit came down from the UT Club last night, where I sold one painting! Woohoo. We had a wonderful reception Wednesday evening with so many great friends! Side by Side will be hung tomorrow, Sat. April 9, @ the Authenticity Gallery at 910 Congress. We are so thrilled to be part of the "I Art Congress" Art Walk next Thursday April 14, from 6 - 9 pm. Come on out!! It's a dream come true to have our work at such a lovely DT gallery!! Our Side by Side books will be for sale @ Authenticity and soon on this blog. 

UT Club Exhibit And More

So excited to have our Side by Side exhibit at the University of Texas Club April 4-7th.  

Side by Side Video

So thrilled that Maria and Roy Gatling of Austin-Artists.com recently produced and posted a video of Bill Oakey and me discussing our Side by Side collaboration, and our "Side by Side" book. So excited!!! Love it. It was filmed in my studio. Hope you enjoy watching it and sharing it with your friends. The Side by Side book is available by contacting me and should be available on this blog very soon!

Austin Lily

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Austin Lily 24x18x1.5"

 Oil on gallery wrapped canvas. 
REDUCED to $450 (was $600)  + tax (TX only) + $25 sh/h

Canvas prints also available. 

Contact me for prices based on preferred size.

I created this painting in 2007 for my "Side by Side" series with photographer Bill Oakey  - a series where I paint my interpretations of his wonderful photographs in either pastel or oil. We look forward to continuing this series and will have an exhibit of several works at The UT Club April 4-8. And we were also recently video taped by the folks at Austin Artists.com, Maria and Roy Gatling. See the vido on this blog! Side by Side books are available for $30 (including tax and shipping. Contact me for the book.  

Mid-December Morning / 360° of Lake Austin Series

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Mid-December Morning  8x10" 

Oil on canvas board framed in black plein air frame. 
SOLD

I painted this last Friday, New Year's Eve, but am finally getting it posted today on Jan. 3rd. This painting was inspired from a photo I took in early/mid December. The bright, red leaves on the tree popping out from the oaks have now dropped and blown away. Can't wait to paint this larger. 

Early Morning Bridge 24x30"

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Early Morning Bridge   24x30"

Oil on canvas. Original NFS
Gallery-wrapped canvas prints available from 8x10" to 28x35".
Contact me for print prices based on preferred size.

I have so  many pictures of Lake Austin and the 360 bridge. Love shooting it at different times of the day and throughout all the seasons and during a variety of weather conditions. Sunny, cloudy, stormy, foggy, hazy. Amazing how much the same landscape varies each day. This was early morning in December and you can see where the light is hitting the tops of the trees but lower areas are still awaiting the day's sun. This painting is a gift so not for sale - but plan to do more!! Merry Christmas!!! Hope Santa is good to everyone. 

Jamaica Mon

@ Debbi Smith Rourke

Jamaica Mon  8x10" 

Oil on canvas panel 

SOLD

After my two art receptions the first week in December, I went on a 7-day Caribbean cruise with my husband and some dear friends. Visited Cozumel, Caymen Islands and Jamaica! Ya mon! So enjoyed getting away and seeing the sights and drinking in the ambiance and margaritas!! Upon returning, I painted this little gem. Nice way to remember my island adventure.

Austin Art Salon 5 at Wild at Heart Show

Austin Art Salon 5

Amy Hillenbrand, Kim Brill, Debbi Smith Rourke, Nancy Michalewicz, Paula Simpson

Here we are at Fast Frame's Prickly Pear Galleries, their South Austin location in the Shops of Arbor Trails. Our Wild at Heart reception last Thursday night was so wonderful - great crowd and our works look quite lovely together. Show is up thru Dec. 23 Don't you just love the 5 stars above our heads!! Rising stars!! Thanks Kristin and Wheat Belt for hosting us at your inspiring Gallery/Frame shop. You are amazing.

Foggy Morn III & IV / Happy Thanksgiving

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Foggy Morn III and IV 

Oil on canvas. 28"x22" each / 28"x44" together

$2,100 for the pair + $95 sh/h
Contact me for local /no-ship purchase

Happy Thanksgiving!!! These are enlargements of some small studies I did a few weeks ago. These larger works were displayed at the Prickly Pear Galleries at Fast Frame South as part of the Wild at Heart show I was in with Kim Brill, Amy Hillenbrand, Nancy Michalewicz and Paula Simpson.  Our reception  was great fun and the work looked wonderful together - thanks cousin Kristin for the opportunity.

Clouds Over Pennybacker

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Clouds Over Pennybacker 

Oil on gallery wrapped canvas. 20x20x1.5" NFS
Gallery-wrapped prints available from 12x12" to 28x28".
Contact me for prices based on your preferred size.

This is an enlargement of a similar 12x12 painting I did a couple of weeks ago. I delivered this to Mitra and Marcus Butler yesterday, one of three couples chairing tonight's HeartGift Foundation benefit. The fine wine and luxe living dinner and auction tonight help raise funds to bring children from around the world to the US for life saving surgery to correct heart defects. Fabulous cause!! So nice to give a painting of an image I love, knowing it will not only continue to bring smiles to others, but also extend love and renewed life to children. Check out the foundation and follow them on FB!!

Thanks Mom and Dad / Italian Villa

I just discovered the 30 Thanks Gratitude Adventure or #30thanks started by Marissa Bracke. How inspiring. As today is Nov. 10, I am starting with what she suggests for today which is thanking a parent. Boy, I have two wonderful parents and am so blessed to have had their constant, steady love and guidance throughout my life. And particularly their devotion to and care of one another as an example of how to live a beautiful and happy life. This photo was taken at their home on Thanksgiving day 2 years ago - how appropriate. Look forward to celebrating again with them this year. 

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Italian Villa 17x23.5" unframed. 

Pastel on paper. 27x33.5" framed in black with white matte, UV glass.
$675 + tax (TX only) + $35 shipping.

OK - for an art image. This is a pastel I did 4 years ago from a photo Mom and Dad took on on of their many trips - this one to Italy. I have it hanging in my home and so enjoy it. So thanks again Mom and Dad for getting out and seeing the world and then sharing your photos with me for my art adventures. This has been a fun exercise!! Let's see what tomorrow brings.

If Books Could Cook

© Debbi Smith Rourke

If Books Could Cook    20 x 20 x 1.5"

Oil on gallery wrapped canvas. 
$550 + tax (TX only) + $20 sh/h.

Also thought about calling this "Dreaming of Dinner." I have so many nice cookbooks that sometimes I prefer reading them to actually cooking. Not always of course, but there are days I prefer to contemplate new menus rather than prepare them. Was fun!

Oma Series / "Guest Room Hymnal"

© Debbi Smith Rourke

Oma Series / "Guest Room Hymnal"

10 x 8" oil on canvas panel, framed.
$150 framed + tax (TX only) + $13 sh/h.

This painting was exhibited in the "Library Foliage" exhibit at the Studio2Gallery Dec. 4 - Jan. 22. Austin Chronicle review of exhibit is glowing!!! Yea!!

Oma's second bedroom was my aunt Mary's room growing up. Mary is just 8 years older than me, so she is more like a sister.  I remember sharing the room with her when I was a young girl and getting roped into rubbing her back. But did get to learn all her big-girl fashion and hair tips. Even learned to play spoons and card tricks in this room. Later on, this room became the guest room for whatever family member was visiting, and ALWAYS remained the sewing room. The bedside table has looked like this as long as I can remember, until the house was cleared out anyway. So sweet of Oma to put a church hymnal by the bed. Miss just hanging out and watching her sew.